DEPUTY chairman of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund, Joe Foley hopes that the decision of the fund to increase its contribution to prize money this season will encourage other industry sponsors to do the same.

A further €300,000 will be contributed by the Irish EBF to Horse Racing Ireland to allocate mostly to grassroots racing, bringing the fund’s total contribution up to €2.5 million this year.

Foley said: “I think all the governors of the EBF were very keen to support Irish racing this year in particular given the crisis we are undergoing. In the last few days we’ve been working very closely with HRI in organising the programme for the rest of the year to try and attach our sponsorship in the best possible way we can.

“I think everyone felt it was important to inject as much prize money as we can because prize money is the ultimate support for the industry, and to reward the owners that have kept horses in training with no potential prize money earnings.

“I think it’s very important that everyone tries to have the prize money as high as it can be and that is what the EBF wanted to do. We wanted to show a lead to other sponsors in the industry as well.”

Decisions about where the money is allocated are still being made but Foley says there will be an emphasis to keep series like the Foran Equine series and Median Auction series fully funded.

However, the effects of Covid-19 could have ramifications for the funding of the inaugural Ballyhane Stakes, set up by Foley and the Irish EBF this year.

The race, scheduled for Naas on August 3rd, received a record number of 563 entries in April, 217 of which were made by British trainers, for whom it may not be feasible to travel horses over to Ireland now. The race is aimed at the progeny of sires with a median of no more than €75,000 at last year’s yearling sales.

Foley said: “I’m thrilled with the response to the race. It is sort of the first race of its kind in Ireland, I know it is similar to the Fairyhouse sales race, but it’s an open median race. It just shows you that if you put on the race and the prize money, people will travel and enter.

“Unfortunately with the ramifications of Covid-19, there is still a little bit of doubt about whether British runners can run. With that in mind, we postponed the first forfeit stage, so we’re probably going to abandon that stage and have just one forfeit stage in June, which will have ramifications for the financing of the race.

“Before Covid-19 came in, with the entries that we received, we were looking to increase the prize money significantly for the main race and add a consolation race. Now we just have to make sure that the British runners can come. But the intention going forward will be to make the race as valuable as we can.”

Foley said business at Ballyhane Stud was relatively unaffected over the last few months with plenty of mares travelling over from Britain to the stallions on site which include new recruit Soldier’s Call.

“It’s been business as usual here. We’ve had no issues thankfully and everyone has just kept the head down and kept busy.

“Solider’s Call had a very strong season. He’s had a lovely book of mares, I’m very happy with the quality and quantity of them. And his fertility has been very strong so we’re delighted with him. He got plenty of British mares, as did Dandy Man. I can only recall one or two British mares that didn’t make the trip.

“Some of them came in a little early. They were afraid of the lockdown stopping travel between countries so they came in early and foaled in the country just so they were here. As it turned out they didn’t need to do that.”